2009 Porsche Cayenne: problems, recalls and reliability
2 recalls and 15 owner complaints on record; most reports concern power train.
Data updated weekly · 1 new complaint in the last 90 days · latest recall Aug 2022
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 15 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2009 Porsche Cayenne. The vehicle was a dealer sale. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to O'Reilly's for a diagnostic test, the diagnostic report listed the mileage at 209,000; however, at the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 105,000. The dealer was not notified of the discrepancy, as per the Attorney's advice.”Owner report · Electrical System · May 2026
“The contact owns a 2009 Porsche Cayenne. The contact stated that there was an abnormal fuel odor inside the vehicle. The contact stated there was visible damage to the fuel tank flange, and there was a leak coming from the fuel tank. The contact stated that the OBD port provided a code and that the fuel was too lean, causing the RPM to fluctuate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for throttle body repair, but the failure persisted. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 157,000.”Owner report · Fuel System, Gasoline · Dec 2025
“Tl* the contact owns a 2009 porsche cayenne. The contact stated that there was an abnormal fuel odor inside of the vehicle emanating from the driver's side rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and suggested the contact have the vehicle taken to an authorized dealer to be diagnosed and repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.”Owner report · Fuel System, Gasoline · Jun 2020
Show 7 more owner reports
“I was driving home about 10:44 pm on august 14 2019 when I heard what sounded like a explosion to my windows but I was afraid to pull over because it was a dark road so I got to the first gas station and checked for damage windows but come to find out it was the drivers back seat which had I gues swollen and bust out or completely disengaged from the bottom of the seat.”Owner report · Seats · Aug 2019
“Drive shaft goes off unexpectedly resulting in violent shaking of vehicle and loss of control while vehicle was in motion”Owner report · Power Train · Jul 2019
“Tl* the contact owns a 2009 porsche cayenne. The contact stated the drive shaft failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 50,000.”Owner report · Power Train · Sep 2014
“Vehicle was parked in garage. Went to use it, opened door to drivers side, dash reads ignition lock fault. Would not start, would not come out of park. Towed to dealer (after towing co. Did emergency unlock of transmission to get out of garage. Vehicle has been at porsche dealership for a week now, told at first ignition switch was bad. Replaced and still not functioning (no start) now told control module must be replaced as it got "wet" and vehicle interior floor had gotten wet. Research on internet shows many other people have had this problem with electrical components getting wet from a defect in car. *tr”Owner report · Power Train · Aug 2014
“Unable to listen to radio stations on radio due to static noise and heavy sound interferences even on local nj fm radio stations. This defect substantially impairs the use, value or safety of the vehicle, as this is causing driver frustration and reduced driver focus which I am afraid will lead to a potential accident due to not being able to listen or listen with static and heavy sound interferences to the radio for news, music and radio talk. This has been confirmed and tested by an independent audio professional in writing and report conclusion is "radio stations not working correctly, heavy interferences. Tested on local nj stations 94.3fm and 101.5fm", *tr”Owner report · Equipment · Jan 2010
“I own a 2009 porsche carrera convertible with pdk transmission. In stop and go traffic and car shifts into neutral for a split second or two before engaging into first gear. My car only has 4,300 miles and this problem seems to be getting worse as time goes on. Porsche told me that they are aware of the problem with no solution at this time. This situation is very dangerous when I am waiting in an intersection wanted to make a left turn and then when I finally it is clear to turn the car would shift into neutral for about a second before engaging into first gear. *tr”Owner report · Power Train · Mar 2009
“The electronics on the car are showing a suspension issue. And the electronics on the car do not work for more than 5-7 min before shutdown and restart. This includes radio, bluetooth, gps, etc. When the electronics start back up the radio is turned on. *tr”Owner report · Electrical System · Jan 2009
Recalls - 2 campaigns
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Cayenne S, Cayenne Turbo, 2004-2010 Cayenne, 2006 Cayenne Turbo S, 2010-2016 Panamera S, Panamera 4 S, Panamera Turbo, 2011-2016 Panamera, Panamera 4, 2012-2013 Panamera Turbo S, 2013-2016 Panamera 4 GTS, 2014-2016 Panamera 4 S Executive, Panamera Turbo Executive, Panamera Turbo S G1 II, Panamera Turbo S Executive, 2013 Panamera 4 Platinum Edition, Panamera Platinum Edition, 2016 Panamera 4 Edition, Panamera Edition, Panamera Turbo S Executive Luxury Sports vehicles. The bushing that attaches the gear selector lever to the gearbox may degrade over time, causing the bushing to detach. This condition could allow the driver to move the shift lever to Park and remove the ignition key, while the transmission may not be in Park, with no warning message or audible chime.
Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. Owners are instructed to use the parking brake until their vehicle is repaired. The recall began August 9, 2019. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AKB1.
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2003-2020 Porsche Macan, Cayenne, Panamera, and Cayman S, 2001-2004 Boxster, Boxster S, 2004 Boxster 50 JAHRE SPYDER 550 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of all affected models and model years. The caps that cover the low-beam headlight horizontal adjustment screws are missing, which can allow the headlights to be improperly adjusted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the headlights for sealing caps and install missing caps as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 28, 2022. Owners may contact Porsche's customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is ANB4.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2009 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Cayenne by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Porsche Cayenne reliable?
NHTSA has 15 owner complaints and 2 recall campaigns on record for the 2009 Porsche Cayenne. The most complained-about area is power train.
Does the 2009 Porsche Cayenne have open recalls?
2 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl). Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.